Thick is the Blood
by BlowUpKarzahini
Summary: …And Deep is the River. A tale in which a cagey girl and her hopeless brother stumble upon a hidden family and their walls come crashing down.


Thick is the Blood

By BlowUpKarzahini

…And Deep is the River. A tale in which a cagey girl and her hopeless brother stumble upon a hidden family and their walls come crashing down.

Chapter One: Once Upon a Time in New York City (Part I)

"Now it's always once upon a time

In New York City.

It's a big old, bad old, tough old town, it's true. But beginnings are contagious there. They're always setting stages there. They're always turning pages there for you."

-Oliver in Company

The cold winter sun peeked between the towering skyscrapers, casting almost angelic pillars of light down on the bustling streets. Very few pedestrians noticed the pretty view, though. This was New York; home to some of the rudest people alive. Loud, obnoxious sounds drowned out what little birdsong there was. People were shouting for taxis, taxis were slamming on their brakes, and the brakes were screaming like a cheerleader in a horror movie. Central Park was probably the quietest place this morning, and even then it was bustling with frozen joggers and shivering cyclists. The quietest group in the park was a gathering of sleeping bags piled together a few yards away from the famous Alice in Wonderland statue. The group was a mishmash of sleeping bags, newspapers, and bodies, all huddled together for warmth. Soft snores issued from a few of them, their breath made visible in icy clouds. Then, there was a sudden rustle and one of the bodies jerked upright with a gasp.

Large, ice-blue eyes blinked through a haze of confusion. Then a pale hand reached up and rubbed them clear, mussing up the long blond locks on the top of her head. She gave a long sigh and slouched there for a moment, putting her previously raging emotions on a tighter leash.

She rubbed her bare arms, missing the warmth of her sleeping bag. After a few moments, she sat up straight, stretching and yawning deeply. She peered down at the lumpy sleeping bag next to her and sighed as it gave a halting snore. She reached over and gave it a good shake. The red bag gave a half-hearted moan, earning a roll of the eyes before she shook it again. Finally, a mop of blond hair poked out of the zipper, a pair of sleepy green eyes staring tiredly up at his disturber. He earned a tired smile and a hand through his already mussed up hair. The boy made no sound; he just buried his head into the folded hoodie that acted as a makeshift pillow.

His companion gave an empty smirk, withdrew her jean-clad legs from where they were tangled in the sleeping bag, and grabbed the pair of sturdy boots that lay next to her backpack. As she strapped them on, her brother sat up, revealing a scrawny torso covered in layered shirts. Without the protection of the sleeping bag, he started shivering as the cold air nipped at his bones. He unfolded his hoodie/pillow and slipped it on, zipping it up to his chin and pulling his hands into the long sleeves. The navy hoodie was very baggy on him, as were the tattered blue jeans on his legs. He rolled out of the sleeping bag and began to tie his tennis shoes on.

The petite girl struggled to rise to her feet, obviously favoring her left leg. After a few changes of position and a couple pained hisses, she finally stood tall. Over a long-sleeved shirt, an I-Love-NYC shirt a dozen sizes too big for her, fell down to her knees. She yanked a hair tie off of the collection on her wrist and folded the hem of the shirt up until it didn't look like a dress. Then, the small girl gathered the excess behind her and wrapped the hair tie around it to hold it in place. She gave a content hum, adjusting the belt that held her faded jeans in place.

The two companions started rolling up their sleeping bags, shivering and talking quietly to each other.

"What are we doing today, Mary?" The boy asked, his tone despondent. Mary gave a one shouldered shrug.

"I was thinking of dropping by Jamie's. I need to talk with him a bit."

"What about the Dragons?" Mary glanced down at her brother, who had stuttered a bit at the name of his sisters employers. Her empty eyes turned as hard as steel and her mouth twisted into an angry frown.

"Don't worry about them, Sam. I've got it covered."

Mary had one of the worst jobs in the history of terrible jobs. She was an "honorary member" of the Purple Dragons, the biggest gang in New York. Though she didn't have the infamous violet tattoo, she still offered her services as a burglar or a scout in exchange for protection and an occasional paycheck. She hated the job, but without it her brother could be really sick - or worse.

"Can we have IHOP?" Sam asked, tying his sleeping bag to the top of his backpack. Mary mentally took stock of their remaining cash.

"Yeah, sure. Nothing fancy, though, okay? I have a feeling that we're gonna have a rough time soon." Sam's face puckered into a frown, but a yawn quickly wiped it away. In silence, the siblings shouldered their bags, cast a quick backwards glance over the pile of sleeping people, then started the long trek out of the park.

After their breakfast stop and a quick washing up in the bathroom, Mary and Sam began the long walk to the pawn shop their friend, Jamie, owned. When the two kids had first started to live on the streets, the kind man had taken them under his wing. He taught them all he knew about surviving the concrete jungle. Fortunately for him, a relative left him a good amount of money and he was able to buy back his previously foreclosed pawn shop. His business was booming now, and he had told the runaways that they were always welcome for a visit.

A block away from their intended destination, Mary called for a break.

"Stupid leg." She growled, rubbing at the offending limb.

"Has the swelling gone down?" Sam led her over to a bench, which she practically collapsed into. Mary rubbed at her knee, hissing and groaning under her breath.

"No, but I'll be fine when we get to Jamie's. He told me he would get me a brace."

"Are you sure?" Mary glanced into her brother's face, which was stern and worried. A pang of sadness struck her; no ten-year-old should be that worried. It had been so long since he'd hung out or played with someone his age. Since they'd lead a normal, stable life that didn't depend on robberies, soup kitchens, and gangsters. Their lives would never be normal again, Mary realized. As all this tumbled around her head, she forced a smile for her brother and assured him that she was fine.

After a few more painful blocks, they found Jamie's pawn shop. It was a simple, brown- stone shop with neon signs advertising low prices and Bud Light. In the window was a shelf of do-dads and a bike, which Sammy had been eying for the last month. Mary shoved the glass door open, wincing as the high-pitched buzzer announced their arrival.

The inside of the shop was a bit more extraordinary than the outside. Merchandise hung on wires from the ceiling, cabinets were filled with neat looking plates, and a whole wall was dedicated to swords and knives. Wind chimes and colored glass hung in the corners, and cheap, velvety fabric covered the display tables. Each piece of merchandise was lovingly set out like it was a treasure (even if it was just a ratty beanie baby). It looked like a medieval peddlers shop in artificial lighting.

"Jamie?" Mary called, absentmindedly admiring one of the knives on the wall. "It's us." There was a thud and a muffled yelp from the doorway to the back of the shop. Sammy glanced up at his sister, cocking a brow at the noise. The elder sibling mirrored the younger and they both shrugged. Then an elderly voice issued from the doorway, panic lacing his shouts.

"Help! Mary, Sam!" At the sound of their names the siblings raced for the door. As they both tried to go through the doorway at the same time, Sammy ricocheted off his slightly larger sister and lost his balance, spinning and tripping to the floor. Mary was thrown out of the room and back into the shop, tumbling onto her butt. For a second the siblings just stayed on the ground, moaning and rubbing their sore limbs. Then, the voice came again. "Are you gonna just lay there? Help me!" A lanky man stood in the middle of the back room, his arms filled with a stack of two giant cardboard boxes. He was staggering around like a drunk monkey, skinny legs dancing about in an attempt to keep balance. The kids scrambled to their feet (Mary snarling at her bum leg) and took the topmost box, restoring balance to the tall man.

The absence of the box revealed a thin, grey face with white hair and a scruffy beard. Sharp blue eyes magnified by thick glasses scanned the siblings amused faces and scowled.

"Took you long enough! What if I had fallen and broken my neck?"

"You would've been sorely missed, Jamie Crane." Mary deadpanned. "I would water your grave with my tears." Jamie narrowed his eyes and marched out into the shop.

"I know sarcasm when I hear it, Mary Drowning." He scoffed, setting the box on the check out counter and gesturing for the siblings to do the same. "And that tone practically screamed sarcasm." He turned to face them, putting his hands on his bony hips. As Mary and Mr. Crane fought a Death Glare Match to the Death, Sammy snickered at their antics. After a few more moments of quiet laughter, the two older people declared a truce and joined in Sam's amusement. Jamie mussed up the Drownings' hair and smiled.

"What are you two doing here? I thought you were coming on Friday."

"Just wanted to talk." Mary replied, leaning on the counter and rubbing her leg. "Oh, before I forget, do you have that brace thing that I asked about?"

"Ah, yes, the knee brace." Jamie tapped his chin in thought for a moment. "Yes, I think I put it in the back." Before he could turn and grab it though, Mary smoothly asked Sammy to grab it for her.

"Sure." He agreed, scratching the back of his head.

"It should be on one of those shelves in the very back." Jamie instructed, and Sam turned and left the room. When, Jamie returned his gaze to Mary she was a few inches closer, with an intense look on her face. He jumped slightly, and opened his mouth but was quickly silenced by one of Mary's Death Glares.

"I'm leaving the Purple Dragons." She whispered. "Tonight." Jamie's eyes went wide.

"Are you crazy!?" He snapped, earning a "Shh!" from the eldest Drowning. "You can't just leave the Dragons! They'll kill you."

"I'm a cripple, Jamie, they were gonna let me go eventually!" Her ice-blue eyes narrowed. "I need you to watch Sammy for me. Let him stay the night."

"You're the best burglar/spy the Dragons have! They won't let you just walk away!"

"I know that, Jamie! I'm not some stupid kid!" She sighed, running her hand through her hair and looking away. Jamie slipped off his glasses and started to clean them on the hem of his button down, a nervous habit of his. The teenager stared out the shop window for a moment, absentmindedly acknowledging the dark clouds there were brewing ominously outside. The sight sent a chill up her back, but she shoved the feeling away when Jamie began to talk again.

"I know you're not stupid, Mary, I just don't want you to get hurt. You and Samuel have grown on me." She continued to look away.

"I can't do it, Jamie." She muttered. "I can't be their little burglar anymore." She fixed her gaze on Jamie, whose hands were still busy cleaning. "Nothing you can say will change my mind. I just need you to promise that you'll take care of Sam if something goes wrong." Jamie glanced up at her and returned his glasses to his face.

He had met Mary when she was a terrified twelve-year-old, trying as hard as she could to keep the sickly Sam well enough to avoid the hospital. Now she was fifteen, a soon-to-be ex- member of the Purple Dragons, and a first-class burglar. Even though he didn't approve of the Dragons and the crime, he couldn't help but feel proud of Mary. Not many fifteen-year-olds could say that they provided for their almost eleven-year-old brother. He had also seen what the last couple of Purple Dragon robberies had done to her, however. She had been a serious girl to begin with, but now she was just plain grim. Smiles were forced and laughter was rare.

The Dragons were hurting her, he could tell. These lizard grunts were crushing her spirit, and she had recognized that. She couldn't take care of Sam with a broken spirit. That's why she was going to leave.

"I'll take care of Sam." He decided, and Mary gave a sigh of relief. "Just promise me that if anything goes wrong you get the heck out of there. Don't start a fight or anything." The blonde caught his eye and gave a firm nod, but before she could verbally assure the older man, Sam popped into the room.

"Found it." He tossed it to his sister, who had quickly covered up the somber look on her face.

"Thanks, bro." She hobbled over to a rocking chair on the corner, and carefully eased herself into it. Her knee gave a protesting pop and she groaned.

"You should get that checked out, kid." Jamie commented, leaning his tall frame against the counter. Mary gave him a deadpan look and rolled up the leg of her jeans.

Her right knee was one big bruise. Dark purple, sickly green, and dull yellow were printed across the skin in a stomach-clenching pattern. The patella was a misshapen mass of scars and half-healed cuts which covered the entire joint. It could make even the most seasoned doctor wince. Mary sighed and started wrapping the brace around the abused knee.

"No hospital, Jamie." She singsonged. "Hospitals are a big no-no."

Jamie glared at her and threw up his hands.

"Fine, just don't come crying to me when you have to get the dang thing cut off."

Mary rolled her eyes, then glanced at Sam.

"So, I think we'll be staying the night."

Sam's head jerked up, eyes wide with excitement.

"Really! With Jamie? Sweet!" The boy gave a rare little victory dance, and his big sister smiled at the small moment of childishness. She was going to savor every happy moment, because she knew that they wouldn't be having any new ones for a long time. No matter what happened that night, there was going to be rough times ahead.

_Greetings, ya'll! For those of you who don't know me, I'm BlowUpKarzahini. This plot bunny has been flitting around my head for a very, very long time, and over the years I've finally fleshed it out enough to reveal it to the public. Now, I've never been a successful fanfic writer (I usually drop a story after the first chapter) but I've taken several measures to prevent that. I got an amazing beta reader, the Chortling Mermaid, and the second chapter just about finished. Please let me know if you've spotted any mistakes in this chapter and feel free to tell me what you think of the story so far. I am going to blend some elements of the other universes into this story, including my 2012 version of Hun and the Purple Dragons. Just a heads up. Happy Reading!_


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